Deviating from industry norms is one of the most common characteristics we’ve seen among highly successful brands and professionals and so we’ve asked some brilliant folks to give us real life examples of how they do things differently from the industry standard.
Tiffanie Whitt.
Coming from a background of being a hairstylist at both a commission model salon and a suite rental model, I have a very unique perspective on the good, bad, and ugly of both. I left the commission salon for a multitude of reasons and thought that renting a suite was the answer to all my problems. The promise of more money, flexibility, and owning my own business was a very shiny carrot dangling in front of me and I took the bait. While I discovered my passion for the business side of the beauty industry, I quickly learned that suite rental was not all that it was hyped up to be. Read more>>
Sydney Dahl
Many people think that my job as a photographer is to simply take photos. Across the industry, we all have different styles and ways of conducting business, and some people do believe that their sole job as a photographer IS to take photos and capture memories. I think that statement could not be further from the truth. The reality is that the photos should not be the main focus as a photographer, but instead the photographer should be entirely focused on the clients: their experience, their emotions, and their story. Read more>>
Rachel Mansfield.
As a singer/songwriter I’ve definitely done things differently than the industry norm. For starters, I live in a small, rural town and I didn’t get my start in the industry until I was in my 30s. I’m a wife and mother, and run a digital marketing business. I’m pretty much the definition of everything people like me are made to believe isn’t marketable in the music industry – ha! What made the difference for me was that I was lucky enough to find HRDRV (pronounced “hard drive”), a community of independent artists who were just like me, and doing things differently than what’s always been the status quo in the industry. Read more>>
Annie Nelson.
My goal is to capture families authentically, while still in an an artful and beautiful way. After a couple of years of shooting in a more “traditional”, smile-and-look-at-the-camera style, I realized that what I really wanted was to capture families the way I photograph my own children. At play, in their natural element, basically just more naturally. Posed images just aren’t where my passion lies. They aren’t “artful” and don’t inspire me. Read more>>
Carisha Johnson
As the CEO of Live with Carisha I oversee a number of job roles. Most importantly and my biggest milestone to date has been breaking into the Talk Show Host genre. My niche in the media world has been creating timeless content and breakthrough interviews with independent artists, business owners, influencers. Normally in this world the bigger the guest the bigger the request to get them, which is fine but at LIVE WITH CARISHA we pride our show on sitting with the up-and-coming artists, business owners, fashion icons of the future. Read more>>
Ellie Zakheim.
The industry standard includes many franchises that offer beauty services – so why ME? I treat my clients as human beings. they are not just another appointment on my books, or a dollar amount that I can count on cashing in – THEY ARE MY PEOPLE. People that are vulnerable enough to share their lives with me – the good, the bad, and the ugly. When my clients go through something, I go through it with them. Job promotions, breakups, marriages, divorces, pregnancies, birthdays, loss & grief, emotional breakdowns, emotional breakthroughs – I am there. Read more>>
Jaimie Krause.
Wedding photography (and the wedding industry as a whole) has evolved over the years. It went from being a simple visual documentation of the marriage of two people into a massive 12 hour photo shoot with Pinterest perfect details, Instagram worthy portraits in epic locations, Tik Toks throughout the day, custom hashtags, llamas and alpacas. signature cocktails, firework displays, sparkler exits leading out to a vintage car covered in florals, and on and on and on. Read more>>
Katherine M Mayer
When a criminal defense attorney receives a case, they need experts. In a death penalty case, the American Bar Association requires that a fact investigator and a mitigation specialist be a part of the defense team. A fact investigator conducts the investigation that pertains to the facts surrounding the charge/crime itself. This evidence is presented during the guilt/innocence phase of a trial. Read more>>
Alicia Krasko
I coach Stepmoms-something that is typically emotionally charged. There are a litany of things that are outside of a Stepmom’s control. It feels overwhelming. Frustrating. Exhausting, and at times hopeless. In coaching sessions, my goal is to get the Stepmom to recognize that the change she wishes to see is inside her. Read more>>
Krystal Harriott.
Yes, What I do is different from industry standard! I am living my dream, not the American dream. I am using my time, space, and efforts to exist how I see myself in my mind, out loud. Read more>>
Kirsten Castaneda
There’s a lot of talented miniaturists out there who are absolutely incredible when it comes to design for laser cut or 3D printed projects. However, the amount of handmade miniatures I have come across in past years is very few and far in between. I have made it a point in my journey to learn how to make everything by hand and doing it myself, including carving, drawing, sculpting, faux painting, photography, marketing, etc. Read more>>
Shauna Jackson
When you think of a “wedding planner” you probably think of Father of the Bride’s Franck Eggelhoffer or The Wedding Planner’s Jennifer Lopez. Although what they did in the movies are not completely inaccurate, not all couples can afford a full service wedding planner to make their dreams come true. Then you have the “wedding coordinator” who typically works for the venue or event planning company that comes in the day of to make sure everyone gets down the aisle, carries an emergency kit, and manages the timeline. Read more>>
Nate Riley.
We like to focus on the wines/regions/varietals that are off the beaten path. So many of the big grocery chains, large liquor stores etc, stock and focus on huge production wines from just a few regions, and don’t give enough attention to the generational wineries, that have amazing price points. We want to sell the small production family wines, and most of the time they are less expensive than the generic bottle you get at the grocery store. Read more>>
Blair Werline.
The way I run my business is definitely different from the way most bakeries are operated. As of right now, I do everything myself. From social media to customer service to actually processing and making your order…it’s all done by one person, which is rare nowadays. Read more>>
Alena Uhl
Yes i do. And i know a lot of small business do thise as well. When we send our packages we put work into it besides the product that the customer is buying. We put a personal note, and extra gift a small token of appreciation for the purchase. You wont find an big company do that like amazon or any other stores/online shopping Read more>>
Natasha Edwards
Natasha’s Thread is a Fashion PR firm for fashion events. (NTPR Firm) I build and maintain relationships in the fashion industry that needs a positive public image for their brand or company. Read more>>
K’Kio Hardin
The thing that I do differently for a business my size is that I have my products custom manufactured. All of my clothing products are cut and sewn for Detroit Kid. Read more>>
Ralph Borgess
Yes, we are a resource for Clients for the life of their home and believe in building last relationships. The Home Buying process can be extremely stressful and is the biggest investment most people will ever make, it’s a big deal and I treat it that way! My mission is to provide a very personalized experience and take full ownership of the home for the couple hours I am there. I learn as much as I could about the property and educate my Clients on every detail. Read more>>
Greg Hill
At ideal core we focus on small group and private training. We are one of the only areas in Michigan where you can get your reformer Pilates and strength training all in one package! Read more>>
Kai Alcé
So the initial premise or idea behind my designs was that most eyewear companies only offer one or two colors in a particular model, also usually the colors are tortoiseshell & black. Unless they are sunglasses then you can get more bold colors, but what if you don’t want them shaded? This is where I stood. I like colorful frames bold but not shaded, hence the creation on Kai Alcé Eyewear. Read more>>
Laura Correa.
Our brand and our service offerings differ from the usual spa experience in many ways. We offer our services in a boutique, tranquil setting providing the highest quality service. Our service providers are healers and experts at their craft. Our treatments are designed to be carefully curated experiences delivering optimal results for our guests at each visit. Aside from offering professional treatments such as microcurrent and oxygen dome therapy we also incorporate energy healing, crystal healing and even sound therapy into our customized facial treatments to elevate the treatment experience. Read more>>
Leka Fineman
Most of the women’s fitness and health coaching industry is focused around weight loss and being a certain shape or size. There is still a huge emphasis on restriction and a huge diet culture that perpetuates an ideal for women to be skinny. Unfortunately, women still feel uncomfortable with them selves and hate their bodies. My focus is on shifting the emphasis from one of restriction to one of abundance and empowerment. I help women connect with their strengths and learn to fuel and nourish themselves so they can feel confident and healthy through all stages of life. Read more>>
Tracie Drennon
Studios at Fischer is a unique facility, not only in this area, but in the country. Our 10-acre campus consists of a spacious production studio, a state-of-the-art recording studio, cutting edge audio and visual equipment, green room, luxurious living and dining spaces, and other amenities. The strength of our various offerings is that they can be utilized a la carte or seamlessly integrated by clients according to their needs. Read more>>